Tag Archives: Life-long learning

How Innovative is My School? Update: This questionnaire is now less than 30 actual questions in place of over 70. This should provoke some interesting debates! Give it a try and let me know what you think. It … Continue reading →

Let's begin with this scruffy little thing from urbandictionary.com : Contrary to the belief of many, a noob/n00b and a newbie/newb are not the same thing. Newbs are those who are new to some task and are very beginner at … Continue reading →

Don’t take Geography if you want to know what the capitals of the world’s countries are. Don’t take it if you’re interested in the major imports and exports of Tajikistan. And stay away from Geography if you like knowing the … Continue reading →

It's been four years since I got turned on to podcasts. I listen to new episodes on my commute to and from work, during my admin periods, while I'm blogging and just about whenever I can stitch a few moments … Continue reading →

I don't care about how well you do in your tests and exams. I don't care about how much time / money / effort you put into your assignments. I don't care about how well-behaved you are, or how well … Continue reading →

Teachers: Let’s be brutally honest shall we: exam results are all that matters in education. Bottom line. Don’t misunderstand: What students can regurgitate and explain and do in a stress-fueled few hours should not be the ultimate end of their … Continue reading →

What is the value of creativity? How do I evaluate the reliability of a website? How do I stay safe online? Why is metacognition important? How do I learn most effectively? How do I create an engaging presentation? How … Continue reading →

Processing Learning is a system with inputs, processes and outputs. There has been much discussion in recent years around how we need to improve the inputs so that the outputs become more relevant and meaningful in the modern world. We … Continue reading →

Dear Margaret I read your article in The Globe and Mail (Saturday, Jun. 28 2014) with dismay. In the article, you assert that “21st century learning is nothing more than warmed-over romantic progressivism” with absolutely no evidence to support its … Continue reading →

If you tell your child that school and learning are not that important in the grand scheme of things, and if you are never curious about anything, and if your entertainment choices involve more mindless television than enlightening reading, and if you close off avenues of thought for your kids through your own narrow-mindedness, and if you are bigoted and biased – how can you expect me to broaden your child’s mind? Continue reading →

Standardized tests really allow me to demonstrate my learning in a personalized way.
The curriculum really is more important than I am. No really, it is!
School is definitely about how well I do in the exams.
My education is preparing me for life.
I don’t feel like I am just a number. Continue reading →

Kids should watch more TV. Specifically, they should watch good quality documentaries – as often as possible. This is because teachers and books and parents are no longer the fountains of all knowledge. If kids can learn and supplement their … Continue reading →

Providing a more relevant education to young people is one of the key issues we face in building a better world. By now, we are all aware that education must go beyond the rote memorization of disconnected facts, and must … Continue reading →

A year or two ago, I asked my colleagues this question: ‘What three things do you most want students to learn in your class?’ Below are the summarized results. They make for some very interesting reading, and for me reveal … Continue reading →

Introduction: On Love and Light-Sabres What is Intelligence? It seems like an easy question. But it really isn’t. I’ve been thinking about intelligence for years, and I have yet to find a definition I entirely agree with. Of course, there … Continue reading →

The Teachers vs The Greeks Teachers: Please stop using the word ‘academic’. You don’t know what it means. When you say things like “this is an academic school”, or “we need to lift our academic standards”, or even “I am … Continue reading →

I confess to a blunder: I have often put forward that teachers should be regarded in the same light as medical professionals. I have argued that we are as important to society, and that we consequently need to ensure that … Continue reading →

I have created the following challenge for those teachers who have heard about how wonderful Twitter is, but have been afraid to get their feet wet. After a few simple daily tasks, spread over 10 days, you will soon be … Continue reading →